Woodlands firefighters raise money for cancer stricken paramedics

Brandon K. Scott

Published 6:15 pm, Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Photo: Michael Minasi

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Paramedic Olivia Kaufman and firefighter Eric Secrest share a hug March 24 at the Montgomery County Hospital District Administration Building. The Montgomery County Health Department was honoring The Woodlands Fire Department for raising money to help support paramedics Kaufman and PJ Mallare, both of whom were diagnosed with cancer. less

Paramedic Olivia Kaufman and firefighter Eric Secrest share a hug March 24 at the Montgomery County Hospital District Administration Building. The Montgomery County Health Department was honoring The Woodlands ... more

Photo: Michael Minasi

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Paramedic Olivia Kaufman last week thanked The Woodlands Fire Department for its support.

Paramedic Olivia Kaufman last week thanked The Woodlands Fire Department for its support.

Photo: Michael Minasi

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Paramedic Olivia Kaufman, left, gives an award to firefighter Eric Secrest, center, and Lt. Jason Hearnsberger, right, on Tuesday, March 24 at the Montgomery County Hospital District Administration Building. The Montgomery County Health Department was honoring The Woodlands Fire Department for raising money to help support paramedics Kaufman and PJ Mallare who were diagnosed with cancer. less

Paramedic Olivia Kaufman, left, gives an award to firefighter Eric Secrest, center, and Lt. Jason Hearnsberger, right, on Tuesday, March 24 at the Montgomery County Hospital District Administration Building. ... more

Photo: Michael Minasi

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Paramedic Olivia Kaufman reads a statement thanking The Woodlands Fire Department on Tuesday, March 24 at the Montgomery County Hospital District Administration Building. The Montgomery County Health Department was honoring The Woodlands Fire Department for raising money to help support paramedics Kaufman and PJ Mallare who were diagnosed with cancer.

Paramedic Olivia Kaufman reads a statement thanking The Woodlands Fire Department on Tuesday, March 24 at the Montgomery County Hospital District Administration Building. The Montgomery County Health Department

The Woodlands Fire Department was recognized by the Montgomery County Hospital District for taking the initiative of raising money for two paramedics diagnosed with cancer and lymphoma within four months.

Firefighters and paramedics usually work hand-in-hand on emergency scenes, whether it’s a motor vehicle crash or structure fire with patients.

For Woodlands firefighter Tyler Leach, stepping in for the ailing medics was no different, given the relationships built through their experiences together.

Mallare soon after was approached by Leach, who told them that Woodlands FD firefighters were raising funds that would be matched dollar for dollar by their Local 3846 union.

Together they raised $3,000, which was split between Kaufman and Mallare.

Kaufman was able to attend last week’s recognition, while Mallare is still undergoing treatment.

“I speak on behalf of both of us when I say that gratitude doesn’t even explain the feeling of knowing our brothers and sisters at WFD care so deeply,” Kaufman said.

Leach and Mallare have worked together since 2009 and the firefighter said hearing the news of his coworkers’ sicknesses really struck a nerve throughout the department.

“Whenever we heard that he was having to stop work and all of this money that it was going to cost him, we decided it was the least we could do to help one of our own,” Leach said. “Everyone was pretty shocked and taken back by it. It kind of shook us because it’s someone we hang out with every day and to have such a devastating diagnosis, it kind of rattled us a little bit. So we decided the least we could do is help him out financially.

“Whenever we found out that Olivia was diagnosed with cancer as well, we decided to raise money and split it among the two of them.”